Tipproof bottleholder



June 6, 1950 1'. J. BRABHAM TIF PROOF MULDER Filed' Dec. 25, 194e.

2 sheets-snm 1 )4 T TOHNEYS Patented June 6, 1950TIPBROQFYYBOTTTLEHOLDER Thcin'asil.' BrabhamjGreensboro, NTC."ppllcation December 23, 1948, Serial No. 66,935

A novel and improved tip-proof:'bottle-.supporting device-'ifrl'u'se.inlvehilslsaid device being very simple in construction, compactl insize, and automatically fol'dable/n to" 'af cll'aps'edflat conditionwhen' itissmoved1 irom.vitesusable'A position to a housed position.

A furtherobject-oithe inventionis. to provide an improved tip-preventingbottlesupporting device'j fr'- vehicles, said devc''fbeing very'easytoinstalli simpletcmanipulate; inexpensiveto manufacture; and-beingsiitablfor mounting `beneath 'the dashboard -cfai conventional motor vehicle.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a motor vehicledashboard provided with a bottle supporting device according to thepresent invention, the device being shown in its housed inoperativeposition.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the bottle-supporting device ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the bottlesupporting device ofFigures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 5-5 ofFigure 2, but showing the device in a forwardly extended position readyfor use.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, II designates the dashboard of a conventionalmotor vehicle. Designated at I2, I2 are spaced parallel angle bracketssecured to the bottom flange of the dashboard at any suitable location,as for example, adjacent the glove compartment.

Secured between the depending flanges of the angle brackets I2 is thebottle supporting device, designated generally at I 3. Said devicecomprises a pair of inwardly facing side channel bars I4, I4 securedrespectively to the angle brackets I2, I 2, and connected at their rearends by a vertical transverse bar I5. channel bars I4, I4 is a fiatrectangular plate Slidably positionedv in the- (Crm1-74)' 2' member.I'5ffrmed1witha handle- I1 hat theintermediate portionoflfits frontmargin. y

The lower anges off' the channelX bars I4,- I4 areafornfiedlatI theirf.edges Vwith rack teeth' I8. Journalled-to the.. inner corner portionsofthe plate'memberflnwardly. adjacent the rack teeth I8 are the4respective dependingv vertical shafts I9;V I9,-and-secured on theseshafts" are the respectiveY gears= 2.0,. .20, meshing. with` said rack"teeth, asshowndnEigureAl Each'shait I9`.' has securedp to its lowerlend.a grooved reel 2|.

Designated -at1221V is a rectangulartray. member..-which..underlies thefrwardporticn of plate member.V I6 and which is `receivable between'the"toothedlowerllangesofthe channelbars I 4, I4,

asshowninK Figure 1Q Designated at123, 23` are respective.ilexiblecablesOne en d'of each cable issecuredLto a\reel'.2I. Secured to.there'spective corner portions ofthe tray member 22 3are the respectiveexible cables 26. The pair of cables 26 at each end of the tray member22 pass through respective eyes 24 secured in recesses 25 formed in theunderside of plate member I6, above each corner portion of the traymember. The ends of each pair of cables 26 are then secured to arespective cable 23. Tray member 22 is formed with a plurality ofcircular recesses 21 and the plate member I6 is formed with circularopenings 28 vertically aligned with the respective circular recesses 21.As shown in Figure 5, when the tray member 22 is in a lowered position,bottles, such as are shown in dotted view at 29 may be supported in therecesses 21, the bottles passing through the openings 28 so as to besupported against tipping.

Normally when the device is not in use, plate member IB is housedcompletely between the channel bars I4, I4 with the rear edge of saidplate member abutting the bar member I5, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Inthis position the cables 23, 23 are wound up on the reels 2l and thetray member is in a raised position substantially in abutment with thebottom Vsurface of the plate member Iii. To arrange the device for use,platemember I6 is drawn forwardly by means of handle I'I to anvextendedposition, as shown in Figure 5, whereby the gears 'Zilare rotated by therack teeth, causing the reels 2| to unwind the cables yand allowing thetray member 22 to descend. The lower flanges of the channel members i4,I4 carry inwardly projecting pins at their forward end portions whichare engaged by the gears 20 and act as stop means l, preventingwithdrawal of the plate member I6 55,`

beyond the position shown in Figure 5. The botties may then be insertedthrough the openings 28 into positions in the recesses 21 of the traymember 22. When the device is no longer required, the plate member IS ismerely pushed rearwardly into abutment with bar member I5. The cables 23are thereby Wound up on the reels 2 I, elevating the tray member 22 tothe position shown in Figure 1.

While a specific embodiment of a tip-preventing bottle-supporting devicefor vehicles has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will beunderstood that various modifications within the spirit of the inventionmay occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that nolimitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope oithe appended'claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle-supporting device of the character described comprising apair of parallel inwardly facing side channel bars, a rectangular platemember slidably supported in said channel bars, said plate member beingformed with an opening, a, tray member, a pair of reels rotatablysecured to the bottom of said plate member, guide means carried by theunderside of said plate member, respective iiexible cables fastened tosaid reels and threaded through the guide means, means securing thecables to the side portions of the tray member, and means for rotatingsaid reels responsive to lengthwise movement of the plate member withrespect to the channel bars.

2. A bottle-supporting device of the character described comprising apair of parallel guide members, a rectangular plate member slidablysupported in said guide members, said plate member being formed with abottle-receiving opening, said guide members being formed with rackteeth extending longitudinally thereof, a tray member beneath saidopening, a pair of reels rotatably secured to the bottom of the platemember, gear teeth respectively carried by the reels and meshing withthe respective rack teeth of the guide members, guide means carried bythe underside of said plate member, respective flexible cables securedto said reels and threaded through the guide means, and means securingthe cables to the respective side portions of the tray member.

3. A bottle-supporting device of the character described comprising a,pair of parallel inwardly facingside channel bars, the lower anges ofsaid bars being formed with rack teeth, a rectangular plate memberslidably supported in said channel bars, said plate member being formedwith an opening, a, tray member positioned below said opening, a pair ofreels rotatably secured to the underside of said plate member, gearsrespectively carried by the reels and meshing with the respectivetoothed lower anges of the channel bars, apertured guide means carriedby the underside of the plate member, respective flexible cables securedto said reels and threaded through the apertured guide means, and meanssecuring the ends of the cables to the respective side portions of thetray member.

THOMAS J. BRABHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kamin Nov. 1, 1949

